sueyh Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1334165/Tony-McCoy-favourite-land-BBC-Sports-Personality-Year-shortlist-named.htmlSuey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Shame it's taken a National to get him this far.Whilst I get that racing doesn't interest everybody, I don't think anybody can doubt the bravery of jump jockeys in general and for anybody to be at the top of such a dangerous sport for so long is nothing short of a miracle. Have no doubt, this is a real sport, with dedicated - and generally lowly paid (with a fixed per race fee and winnings percentage) participants who risk life and limb day in, day out. Did you watch the Tingle Creek - Suey? Master Minded is one adrenelin rush on legs.SUEY'S LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Sorry, but I'll be supporting Mark Cavendish. I prefer sports where the sportsperson has to rely on their own skill and athleticism. This isn't to denigrate people like Tony McCoy.. great skill and courage but, the horse is providing the "motor".Cyclists at the level of Cavendish ... ie. those riding the grand tours, have a level of fitness and athleticism is beyond my comprehension (and I did sport at an international level). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Have you ever ridden half a ton of fit thoroughbred, Derek? Believe me, it is quite different from riding something mechanical which does what you tell it to. But you are right about cyclists - fit chaps indeed. There's a French cyclist who does physio with me (he was knocked off his bike whilst getting fit for the tour) - amazing man and a lovely young lad to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Well, I have ridden horses but only for a bit of hacking... so obviously nothing like the level of the jockeys. I don't doubt that they are very fit at what they do. However, just look at the big climbs on the Tour de France and the speed they ride up them. This is major continuous, unadulterated pain often ridden in exceptionally high temperatures. Not only do the cyclists need to have exceptional fitness levels but their mental courage is also paramount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Sadly, and this is personal only and no reflection on sportsmanship at all so not relevant to the annual poll (which I cannot vote in anyway) but cycling bores me rigid - as racing does other people, I know! Did you see DEATH ON THE MOUTAIN earlier this year on BBC4? Fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Hi cooperlola. I understand your viewpoint entirely. In the spirit of this thread.. it's " horses for courses". [:D] Funnily enough, SWMBO who only cycles a bit for pleasure and exercise gets really hooked by the TdeF. I try and watch as much cycling as I can and I'm totally hooked but I'm also biased. I just got back from a 40 mile bike ride today and I plan to try and do the odd sportive event in 2011. Re the DEATH ON THE MOUNTAIN program... no, I missed that. That's a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 [quote user="cooperlola"]Shame it's taken a National to get him this far.[/quote]Agree totally - leading conditional jockey and then champion jockey 14 times counted for nothing until he won in Liverpool. And he was still jocked off Master Minded yesterday.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Death on the Mountain is bound to be on again, Derek, I will keep an eye out.Here is Samuel, my fellow sufferer!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 As a Cheltonian and with relatives who (mostly) have just about survived as jump jockeys (one died; one had to be "rebuilt by surgeons; another is in a wheelchair), it is difficult not to be caught up in the excitement of National Hunt racing and to acknowledge the courage of the pilots. As a youngster, I used to love riding.In later life, though, I feel I would have more respect for the sport and for the jockeys if they would dispense with whips or any alternative artificial means of forcing the poor creatures to push themselves to - and often beyond - the limit. Peter O'Sullevan wrestled with this dilemma and was influential in getting the design of the whips changed to something less brutal. But while the happy punters are collecting their winnings and owners are being presented with their trophies, there are still plenty of horses who never make it to the finish, some dead even before they hit the ground, others not long after, courtesy of the course vet.Perhaps there should be a TV programme entitled "Death on the Race Course".So, no, Tony won't be getting my vote, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueyh Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 Hi Coops, we go to the Newbury Winter Festival three day meeting. This year was superb racing, including seeing the Fighting Fifth as an extra race, transferred down from Newcastle. Also seeing Denman come home safely in third place. The atmosphere is amazing.I appear to have opened a can of worms (sorry about that!!). But I think those guys certainly earn their crust, they pick themselves up and get back in there as soon as possible. Unlike the namby pamby footballers they don't get paid hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, so have to get fit again, because if they don't ride they don't get paid!! (Well if they do it is only generally their retainer).Suey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueyh Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Don't forget "Vote for Mr McCoy" on Sunday evening.Suey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 Yeah !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Easy, peasy - won by several distances.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueyh Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Fantastic. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 At The Races (channel 415) yesterday with no racing in UK or Ireland was an APMcC tribute fest with all the usual suspects interviewed at length.If only all that well meaning hot air could be directed towards Kempton [:D]John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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